HT wants a iPad/alternative

[Hightower]

HT wants an iPad or alternative as his laptop is dead now. I recommended the Asus Transformer and the RM slate but never used either so could use some help. What's the best kit to do a bit email/web/word processing etc?

 

Will take on board all recommendations, but hands on recommendations would be great

[featured_spectre]

RM Slate is good with W7 but gets sluggish with more than 3 apps open (outlook, excel and word in our test environment and it started to get funny)

 

Asus Transformer is great with W7 and is the way I would go, seems a bit more reliable and the technology is slightly better.

 

Both work well networked and handle GPOs just fine.

[Hightower]

RM Slate is good with W7 but gets sluggish with more than 3 apps open (outlook, excel and word in our test environment and it started to get funny)

 

Asus Transformer is great with W7 and is the way I would go, seems a bit more reliable and the technology is slightly better.

 

Both work well networked and handle GPOs just fine.

 

Didn't realise the Asus Transformer would handle Win7 - thought it was droid?

[achedgy]

Asus Transformer is a good little tablet, great for email, links in with exchange lovely! Also the fact you can get the dock means you can use it for some proper typing once in a while. Battery life is great, works really nicely

[Iain.Faulkner]

I wish our head was this open to alternatives :-(

[Flakes]

Again havnt used either, but judging from reviews i would buy the ASUS Transformer, its the one ive been looking at for myself aswell.

[featured_spectre]

Didn't realise the Asus Transformer would handle Win7 - thought it was droid?

 

It can handle it if you root it and put what you like on it, but doing so voids warranty (as I did with mine). PITA getting the right touch drivers though.

 

Stick with droid if you dont want to void the warranty.

[mavhc]

What's the best kit to do a bit email/web/word processing etc?

A laptop

[Theblacksheep]

I have a transformer, great for the basics (my sofa PC) exchange link is fantastic, gmail and browsing (yep proxy settings too)... not tried document editing much, I still get my laptop out for anything 'proper', although I have developed a habit of poking the screen.

[Theblacksheep]

It can handle it if you root it and put what you like on it, but doing so voids warranty (as I did with mine). PITA getting the right touch drivers though.

 

Stick with droid if you dont want to void the warranty.

 

Windows does ARM? Might have to wait for W8 before that works.

 

Splashtop remote comes with the TF, pocketcloud (very good) and 2X clients are available. VMware View client is in test so access to windows is easy if the infrastructure is in place.

 

Linux is work in progress on the TF, chomeOS will probably work on it too.

Edited June 22, 2011 by Theblacksheep

[Rydra]

IMO, no tablet will replace the functionality of a PC. We've even tried replacing laptops in a couple of instances with netbooks, and they don't work well either.

 

Typing on a tablet device is not as fluid as a normal keyboard, it's a smaller screen in general, and most are not designed for true multitasking, something that most headteachers and in fact all school staff have to do themselves an awful lot.

 

The key purpose of the tablet is mobility and portability, but the more you move in the direction of that, the more you move away from power and versatility which comes with larger, less portable, more powerful devices.

[Hightower]

IMO, no tablet will replace the functionality of a PC. We've even tried replacing laptops in a couple of instances with netbooks, and they don't work well either.

 

Typing on a tablet device is not as fluid as a normal keyboard, it's a smaller screen in general, and most are not designed for true multitasking, something that most headteachers and in fact all school staff have to do themselves an awful lot.

 

The key purpose of the tablet is mobility and portability, but the more you move in the direction of that, the more you move away from power and versatility which comes with larger, less portable, more powerful devices.

 

The HT isn't looking to replace the functionality of a PC. He's looking for something portable that he can take in and out of meetings and make notes on discreetly - hence why I'm asking for recommendations in this field of equipment rather than laptops or computers

[MK-2]

Typing on a tablet device is not as fluid as a normal keyboard, it's a smaller screen in general, and most are not designed for true multitasking, something that most headteachers and in fact all school staff have to do themselves an awful lot.

 

that is where the transformer comes into its own really. you can use the tablet as a tablet, but if you need to type up larger documents you hook up the docking keyboard and tap away, then unhook if you want to walk about again. and typing on the docking keyboard is every bit as fluid for me.

 

 

@Theblacksheep - i've used the polaris office to save docs and open them on my work pc, they saved as .doc and opened fine at work, i then edited at work, and saved back to polaris and it opened fine. yes it only has the basics, but if the HT just wants to open a document, type a letter, etc it will handle it fine. Installing AndSMB will let you connect to a share (his home directory if you want) and you can then upload and download documents from there and use them in polaris.

[jcollings]

3 of our SLT have iPads (bought themselves not out of school funds). They seem to get on well with them for email etc and we stuck a little RDP app on for Windows so they can access SIMS etc via the terminal server.

 

All in all they seem to work well and the Head now looks at minutes, agendas etc on it rather than printing reams of stuff.

[Tony_Mc]

that is where the transformer comes into its own really. you can use the tablet as a tablet, but if you need to type up larger documents you hook up the docking keyboard and tap away, then unhook if you want to walk about again. and typing on the docking keyboard is every bit as fluid for me.

 

 

@Theblacksheep - i've used the polaris office to save docs and open them on my work pc, they saved as .doc and opened fine at work, i then edited at work, and saved back to polaris and it opened fine. yes it only has the basics, but if the HT just wants to open a document, type a letter, etc it will handle it fine. Installing AndSMB will let you connect to a share (his home directory if you want) and you can then upload and download documents from there and use them in polaris.

 

Apple iPad Keyboard Dock Wired Keyboard

 

I am starting to look like a fan boy I know, but throwing curve balls is my game today

[NikChillin]

I bought my son a ZiiO from creative labs, only £150.00 for 7" or £200.00 for 10", You can get email, internet books and write notes by hand. I has very similar fuctionality to the Ipad although only Wi-Fi not 3G.

I think it is excellent.

[AyatollahPies]

I bought my son a ZiiO from creative labs, only £150.00 for 7" or £200.00 for 10", You can get email, internet books and write notes by hand. I has very similar fuctionality to the Ipad although only Wi-Fi not 3G.

I think it is excellent.

 

What is the battery life like?

[AngryTechnician]

If you're considering a Windows device, you could do worse than the Dell Inspiron Duo. It's basically a convertible dual-core netbook.

[Sylv3r]

I received a trial of an RM slate and only had it out of the box for around 10 minutes before I put it back in the box and asked RM to collect it.

 

Slow and unresponsive and I am not 100% sure whether Windows 7 is a great tablet OS.

 

I've just upgraded my iPad to the iPad and must admit I love it. Note taking, e-mail and web is perfect to use. I'll be purchasing iPAD's in stages for our Leadership team on a rolling programme as and when required.

 

We are also investigating funding for a bank of 32 iPAD's for use in a teaching environment - other schools have had good success with this, and this is something we wish to consider more. Especially if we look at providing a personal device for all students within our sixth form.

[Hightower]

I'll be purchasing iPAD's in stages for our Leadership team on a rolling programme as and when required.

 

So it's your fault - our HT wanting something that everyone else has hehe!

[NikChillin]

What is the battery life like?

We got the 7" model and it lasts for about 5 hours although I only noticed the other day it keeps apps running in the background so that might take power, there is a task manager icon on the desktop so closing the prevoiusly opened apps is simple. There are loads of free apps too.

[Domino]

If you're considering a Windows device, you could do worse than the Dell Inspiron Duo. It's basically a convertible dual-core netbook.

 

I've not really used one in anger - but had a play with a couple of these.

 

I like the form factor, but they always felt REALLY sluggish to me - have you got one?

[LiamH]

I have a Motorola Xoom, which is fantastic for quick web browsing, taking notes, playing games and being a e-reader.

[IanT]

One of my schools just brought 2 Tabs - iPad 2 which the headteacher uses and a Samsung Galaxy Tab which the ICT Department uses - I much prefer the samsung!

[Sylv3r]

So it's your fault - our HT wanting something that everyone else has hehe!